dreary daydreams

six; dastardly cupid

BEFORE
February 14, 2015
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There isn't an easy way to tell someone you love them, Ted should know. After all, he's only been trying for the past three years.

But today would be different. Yes, he thought, walking down the halls of Westbrook High with a cut-out heart in his hand, today will be very different, indeed.

Ted carried his heart with great caution, although he had been creasing the point of the red construction paper with worry. He wanted Clementine to love it, the gesture, the words-- Ted wanted Clementine to love him as much as he loved her. But the closer he walked to the drop-off box in the front office, the more doubtful he became.

"Whatever." He muttered, shaking his head. "It's not like things could get much worst between us."

Ted had approached the South Building's front office door, and immediately cast his eyes down. Sitting atop of a student desk was a shiny, red box, decorated with varied sized hearts, baby cupids, and valentine verses in looped calligraphy. On the top of the box was a thin slit, where Ted was supposed to slip his love note inside for the volunteers to take and deliver.

But it was as if the slit in the box had grown teeth and began to snap at him, because the longer he stared, the more frightened he became. So there he stood, hovering about it with much uncertainty, reading the words he had written over again through his head.

I should have written more, he thought. This letter, or any other letter, cannot hold the amount of love I have for her. This gesture isn't big enough.

His palms were clammy and his head was swimming with outcomes, and at this point he just wanted to rip the paper into a million pieces and walk away. But Ted knew that if he ever wanted a chance with the girl who had his heart, he would have to give her this paper one. 

He took a shaky breath, then drew his hand closer to the box, quickly slipping his heart inside before he could hesitate a second more.

Ted looked at the box for a little while longer, wondering why he was such a lovesick fool, before scurrying away to his second period class, already impatient with the idea of how she would react.

But he would have to wait- for a call, a hug, a passionate kiss of gratitude.

Ted would be pleased with anything at all, really. Because after three years, you can certainly get tired of just wishing.

~•~

"Taylor Cooley?"

A giggle, a smile, before the girl rose from the seat beside Clementine's to retrieve her Valentine gram from the volunteer's hands.

The last Valentine gram, she dolefully noticed. The realization made her heart sink.

She didn't try to show her disappointment-- or her confusion, for that matter-- really, as the petite volunteer left with empty hands, a cheerful smile, and Clementine's dashed spirits. She struggled a great deal, though.

Clementine sat in her chair and toyed with a page of the novel in her hands, desperately ignoring the fervent whispers on either side of her the Biology teacher had no intention of shushing.